Electrochemical cells are desirable for various applications, particularly when operated as fuel cells. Fuel cells have been proposed for many applications including electrical vehicular power plants to replace internal combustion engines. One fuel cell design uses a solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) membrane or proton exchange membrane (PEM), to provide ion exchange between the anode and cathode. Gaseous and liquid fuels are useable within fuel cells. Examples include hydrogen and methanol, with hydrogen being favored. Hydrogen is supplied to the fuel cell's anode. Oxygen (as air) is the cell oxidant and is supplied to the cell's cathode. The electrodes are formed of porous conductive materials, such as woven graphite, graphitized sheets, or carbon paper to enable the fuel to disperse over the surface of the membrane facing the fuel supply electrode. A typical fuel cell is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,017 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,871 (Swathirajan et al.).
Degradation of fuel cell components, especially MEAs and PEMs, leads to a decline in power output and useful life.